A Must-See: the St. Stephen’s Basilica

Budapest’s largest, Hungary’s third largest church, the richly ornate St. Stephen’s Basilica. It had been built for 55 years and showcases the characteristics of three great architects’ favourite styles: Baroque, Neo-Renaissance and Classicism.

It’s the richest church of the city with exquisite red marble and 22-carat gold ornaments. It’s a working church with services, wedding ceremonies and organ concerts. You can walk up the steps or take the elevators to the top of the dome, so that you can enjoy an amazing view over the Pest side.

The Basilica houses one of our most important national relics, the 1000-year-old mummified right hand of our first king, St. Stephen. Let me show you the Basilica and its neighborhood, book a Pest walk with me.

We love our coffee and we love our cafés, too

The Budapest coffeehouse culture is over 150 years old. Cafés have always been the center of socializing and getting together, the place where idealism and dreaming overcame reality.

The most important Hungarian war of independence against the Austrians started with young enthusiastic guys enjoying a cup of coffee in one of the coffeehouses of Pest.

Some 100 years ago a Hungarian writer stole the keys of a coffeehouse and dropped them inti the Danube river to make sure the place is open 24 hours a day.

Enjoy our coffee, enjoy the special atmosphere of the Budapest cafés! Book a Foodie Tour with me, so that you can discover the best places of the city!

 

 

 

A walk around the Jewish Quarter

The Jewish quarter, the 7th district of Budapest is the most fun and creative neighborhood of Budapest. It’s hip and always busy, full of cafés, clubs and restaurants, charming little streets and monuments.

After visiting the world’s second largest synagogue in Dohány street we take a walk around the synagogue triangle. I’ll take you to the famous ruin pubs and will also show you around local pastry shops and cafés. I’ll show you the monuments commemorating the victims of WW2 when the Jewish quarter was the ghetto of Budapest. I’ll show you a piece of the ghetto wall, will tell you about the time when the neighborhood witnessed so many dark memories and will also tell you about the well-known and lesser known heroes who had saved the life of tens of thousands.

We finish the tour by the moving Shoe memorial at the Danube river.

The Jewish quarter is the center of the Jewish community and walking around it is fantastic cultural experience too, we’ll see great design ateliers and the most amazing examples of Budapest Street Art. Come and join me for a walk in the Jewish quarter, so that I can show you and tell you more!

 

A Must-See: State Opera House

The State Opera House is one of the most impressive buildings of the Andrassy avenue, Budapest’s Champs Elysées. The building’s extremely richly ornate façade and arched main entrance both present an imposing sight from the outside but you really have to walk inside because the interior of the building is equally beautiful. No wonder that the Austro-Hungarian Emperor Franz Joseph found the idea that this building was actually more richly decorated than the Vienna Opera House outstanding and irritating, too.

The Opera House can of course be visited, there are guided tours in the building every afternoon and if you’re lucky, you might also book tickets for the evening performances, such a nice and unique experience when you visit Budapest. You’ll of course learn all the funny and dark secrets of the building and its statues if you choose to join a “Pest Walk” with me.

 

  • Full Day Budapest Private Driving Tour
  • Budapest State Opera House
  • Best of Pest Private Walking Tour
  • Budapest State Opera House
  • Budapest State Opera House
  • Budapest State Opera House

Cake of the country: Green Gold of Őrség

The 20th of August is always very special for Hungarians, not only because we celebrate St. Stephen, the founder of the Hungarian Christian state but also because our country’s “birthday cake” is introduced. The cake is selected every year by the panel of reputable master confectioners, the applicants are to create innovative and creative cakes reflecting traditional Hungarian tastes and the cake should also have to be connected to the 20th of August holiday.

And now, please meet the “Green Gold of Őrség”, this year’s winner. It comes from a small Salgótarján cake shop and has the colours of the Hungarian flag (red-white-green). The layers of the cake are: pumpkin seed oil and almond flour sponge cake, white chocolate ganache, crunchy pumpkin seed praline, raspberry jelly and pumpkin seed jelly.

What can I say? We’we just tasted this beautiful cake with my guests today in the Ruszwurm cake shop near the Matthias Church and it was delicious. Enjoy!

 

culinary_tour_17

A Must-See: the Houses of Parliament

Whenever you see a picture of Budapest, chances are high that it’ll be taken of the magnificent Parliament building. It’s the largest and the most expensive building which was ever built in Budapest.

You might wonder why a small country like Hungary has the second largest Parliament building in Europe. The answer is simple, by the time of its construction Hungary was three times bigger than it is today. Also, by the end of the 19th century public buildings meant to express strength and power. Let me tell you more about the building, book a “Pest Walk” with me, let me amaze you by the grandeur of the building.

There are guided tours every hour, it’s about 1 hour and you can see the most beuatiful parts of the building and the 1000-year-old Hungarian royal crown. You can buy tickets in advance or on the spot and I can also help you booking tickets.

 

 

  • Budapest Private Driving Tour with Parliament visit
  • Must-See: Budapest Parliament
  • Must-See: Budapest Parliament
  • Must-See: Budapest Parliament
  • Must-See: Budapest Parliament
  • Must-See: Budapest Parliament

Budapest Christmas Markets

Yes, it’s that time of the year, there are several Christmas Markets in downtown Budapest open during the 4 weeks of Advent. You can eat traditional Hungarian dishes, drink mulled wine and amazing hot chocolate and do some Christmas shopping, too. Don’t forget to watch the unique video mapping show over the St. Stephen’s Basilica and to try our special treat, the Chimney Cake (Kürtöskalács). Enjoy!

 

 

A walk around the Buda Castle District

The Buda Castle district is the oldest part of Buda, many of the buildings are originally from the Middle Ages. Buda became the capital of Hungary by the middle of the 13th century, the castle and the medieval town were constructed in the top of the Castle hill.

I don’t want to disappoint you but The Castle district is not a real castle. The Hungarian Medieval castle, residence of many of our great kings, constructed in Gothic and Renaissance architectures was destroyed in the 17th century. Only some parts of it are accessible in the Budapest History Museum, unfortunately the rest of the castle rest in the ground now.

You can walk up the hill along the ramparts of the Medieval Castle to get to the 18th century Baroque Palace which houses the Budapest History Museum and the National Gallery. The cobblestoned streets of the historical old town of Buda lead you to the Matthias Church, one of the oldest churches of the city originating from the 13th century. If you have some time, you really need to climb the 197 stairs to the church tower from where you can have the best view over our beautiful city.

From the top of the Fisherman’s Bastion you can enjoy the panorama over the Parliament building and the Pest side.

Continue your walk in the civilian town, admire the unique architecture of the National Archives and wonder around the old Jewish quarter. Probably the most interesting fact about the distric is that there is a 12 km long underground cave and cellar complex underneath the Castle District. There are 2 museums where you can discover this unique labyrinth. The Hospital in the Rock was a military hospital during WW2 and a nuclear bunker during the Communist era. The Labyrinth museum is all about scary fun and you might also meet Dracula, the infamous vampire count.

I’d be glad to show you the famous attractions and the hidden treasures of the neighborhood, too, book the Buda Castle walk!

 

Eating Hungarian

Probably your first impression is that all Hungarian dishes are red and hot. It’s somehow true but I’m sure I can change your perception if you decide to book a Foodie tour with me. Paprika is of course is the most important ingredient of our cuisine, it’s actually something we should be grateful for being dominated by the Turks for 150 years.

When you visit Hungary, you have to try all our different specialties. You need to taste fresh sausage and hot dog at a butcher’s, our delicious cakes in the 100-year-old cafés, fresh pastry at the bakeries, goulash soup prepared in a cauldron over open fire, artisan ice cream and chocolate, lángos, our delicious deep-fried fritter and all the pickled vegetables.

The old Hungarian proverb says that those who are eating must drink, too, so don’t forget to taste some of the best Hungarian wines.

 

A Must-See: Matthias Church

One of the oldest churches of Budapest, a working church, an amazing place for wedding ceremonies, Matthias Church, where you can actually feel and see our history of thousand years in Europe. The church is located on the very top of the Castle hill, in the heart of the Buda Castle District.

There are very few places where you can see both Christian and Muslim ornaments, this church is one of them. It looks shiny and new from the outside, I’m sure you’ll be amazed by its interior too, especially after I reveal all its dark and funny secrets during the Buda Castle Walk. We might also climb to the spire, so that you can enjoy the amazing view from the top of the world. You can admire the stunning roof structure which is decorated by 250.000 ceramic tiles and can also see the church bells.

 

  • Budapest Matthias Church
  • Budapest Matthias Church
  • Budapest Matthias Church
  • Budapest Matthias Church
  • Budapest Matthias Church
  • Budapest Matthias Church
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